ALA Booklist

This lovely picture-book biography by Katie Yamasaki about her grandfather Minoru Yamasaki, the architect who designed the World Trade Center towers and other landmark buildings, immediately draws in audiences: "Old people, it turns out, were not always old." The action begins with Minoru's birth, in Seattle in 1912, and the book documents his entire life, concentrating on his yearning for looming, open spaces where he felt seen and welcomed, juxtaposed against the omnipresent racism and discrimination he faced as a Japanese American in school, at university, in the workplace, and in professional critiques. The story also touches on the Japanese American imprisonment camps of WWII. None of these references overwhelm the overall joyous, marveling tone of the book. Readers learn about Yamasaki's hard work, determination, fun-loving and close-knit family, and ultimate fulfillment of his professional and personal dreams. Katie Yamasaki also illustrated the book, and her expressive collage artwork evokes elements of shapes, lines, and light throughout the pages. This engaging story has multiple applications and serves as an apt tribute to an iconic architect.

Kirkus Reviews

A loving profile of Minoru "Yama" Yamasaki, a pioneering Japanese American architect whose buildings became cultural symbols across America.When Yama was young, there were places he felt seen and those that did not welcome him. In this chronicle, his author/illustrator granddaughter shares how Yama overcame discrimination to become one of the great 20th-century architects. Lovely, lyrical prose begins Yama's story as the world makes assumptions about his family-and how despite these degradations, he believes in the truth of his potential. Through the Great Depression and World War II as anti-Japanese sentiment rises, Yama strives to bring light and serenity to the places he creates. The artist's painted illustrations layer elements of the architect's stylings into each spread. The complicated renderings are earnest in their effort to convey a complex narrative. Not mentioned by name, the World Trade Center is referenced, offering a fuller view of what happened to some of Yama's creations. While this transition is a bit abrupt, the author offers a more comprehensive look at Yama's life and his masterpieces in the backmatter along with illustrations of his most famous buildings. Despite this change in tone, the author successfully captures the longing to fulfill the American dream and Yama's patience and courage as he pursued that dream in the face of racism. (This book was reviewed digitally.)An American story of beating the odds and overcoming bigotry to create something greater than oneself. Inspiring. (Picture-book biography. 6-8)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

With evocative writing and light-filled illustrations, Yamasaki pays homage to the legacy of her grandfather, Japanese American architect Minoru “Yama” Yamasaki (1912–1986), who designed the World Trade Center, among many other buildings. Visceral descriptions of the prejudice Yama encountered over the course of his career infuse every aspect of the biography—from his labor for an Alaskan cannery to the bias he’s shown as a job seeker during the Great Depression (“Have you ever tasted something bitter in your mouth?/ That’s how they said ‘Japanese’ ”) to his efforts on behalf of family escaping internment camps during WWII. Airy, light-filled, welcoming constructions become Yama’s response to these experiences: “The spaces he built connected to the humanity of everyday people.” While the text often only gestures toward specific events (“Many years later, a terrible thing happened,” accompanies an image of the Twin Towers billowing smoke), an author’s note amply fills in the blanks with a full chronology of the figure’s life. Appropriately, surreal artwork embraces the lofty shapes, lines, and light that define its subject’s style. Ages 6–8. (Oct.)

School Library Journal (Sat Oct 01 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

Gr 1–3 —"A lot of the world happened to him. And he happened to a lot of the world," Yamasaki writes in this joyful tribute to her famed architect-grandfather; she opens with his childhood in Seattle's immigrant community and moves through his life, where he sought the comfort of open, light spaces that eventually informed his design. Yamasaki touches on the anti-Asian sentiment of World War II and post-war America and how Yama, as he was known, overcame each hurdle to rise to the top of his field, taking care of his family the entire time. Yamasaki's illustration conveys her grandfather's influence here as she creates bright, welcoming spreads with touches of Yama: arches and swirls dance through a piano's music; Yama's geometric patterns are noticeable as his father stocks shelves and mops floors. Back matter includes a more in-depth biography on the elder Yamasaki, with sketches of his more famous works, including New York's original World Trade Center and Princeton University's Robertson Hall. Yamasaki creates a loving portrait of her grandfather that emphasizes family and perseverance in equal measure. VERDICT An excellent purchase for picture book biography collections.—Rosemary Kiladitis